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U.S. announces 23-man World Cup squad: Landon Donovan left off

Mark J. Rebilas / Reuters

Thursday saw the release of the U.S. national team's 23-man squad for the World Cup, and it featured one omission that's sending shock waves through the American soccersphere.

That's right. Landon Donovan, the U.S. national team's all-time leader in goals scored as well as World Cup games played, will not be going to Brazil as Jurgen Klinsmann is opting for younger players in the team's attack. 

The decision to leave out Donovan is perhaps made even more controversial as Klinsmann selected 18-year-old Julian Green, who provides plenty of promise for the future of American soccer, but who only made his national team debut in April and spent the season with Bayern Munich's reserve side that just finished playing in the fourth division of German football.

Although Donovan admitted earlier this week that he was skeptical about his chances of being called up, it was widely expected that he'd be included simply because of his experience. Even if Klinsmann planned on playing him sparsely, his leadership would play a vital role in Brazil.

Other players from Klinsmann's preliminary 30-man squad that didn't make the cut include defenders Brad Evans, Clarence Goodson, and Michael Parkhurst, midfielders Joe Corona and Maurice Edu, and forward Terrence Boyd.

Goalkeepers

Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

Defenders

DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nurnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders)

Midfielders

Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards

Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

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